Antioch II: Seeing the Grace of God

As you have almost certainly heard, Buddy and Jody Hoffman–the founders of the Grace Family of Churches–have received news that Buddy’s current health condition is imminently terminal. We don’t know how much longer Buddy will live, but the last week has been an incredibly sweet time of people sharing stories about how he and Jody have blessed so many through their faithfulness, kindness, and leadership.

To be sure, Buddy is one-of-a-kind. And, as I’ve looked at the various pictures people have shared, he also has a taste for one-of-a-kind eyeglasses. This seems incredibly appropriate, because Buddy has a way of seeing the world differently, and he has taught many of us to see through these lenses as well. To borrow a phrase from Acts 11:23, Buddy is like Barnabas in that so often he “saw the grace of God” where others would see fear or failure or shortcoming. Buddy sees the world through the lens of God’s grace.

We will continue our visit to the church in Antioch through Acts 13-14, and we will learn from Paul and Barnabas how to get better and better at seeing the grace of God in our battles, our history, our suffering, and our opportunities. Let’s all learn to see the world through the one-of-a-kind glasses of God’s grace!

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SEE IT // BE IT

(WEEKLY COMMUNITY GROUP DISCUSSION GUIDE)

Date: January 22, 2017 // Antioch II: Seeing the Grace of God

Scripture: Acts 13-14

ARRIVAL / SOCIAL TIME 15-20 minutes
Spend the first 15 minutes or so of your time together catching up and socializing with one another. Also find time to catch up together on how the assignments from last week turned out.

SERMON REVIEW 5-10 minutes
Acts 13-14 tells the story of the church in Antioch and their sending impact. This movemental church in Acts functioned in grace—both seeing it and receiving it. When Barnabas came to visit the church at Antioch, he saw the grace of God there, so he brought Saul (Paul) there with him and together with the church they regularly worshiped God there. However, as they ministered to God it also created mission for God. Worship was the catalyst for mission. Barnabas and Saul (Paul) were sent out from the church to share the gospel throughout Asia Minor. On this first missionary journey, Paul (Saul) and Barnabas learn to see the grace of God in spiritual battle, in history, in the midst of opportunity, and even in their suffering.

THE MAIN THOUGHT Keep this in mind as you facilitate discussion.
“Grace is God acting in your life to accomplish what you cannot accomplish on your own”

—Dallas Willard

SEE IT – Questions 10-15 minutes
Picture (What is the story saying?): This week Jon talked about learning to see and receive grace. So what is grace? What does is look like to see and receive grace? How does Barnabas do this in Acts 13? What did Jon say was foundational to seeing with grace? (Mission) How do Saul (Paul) and Barnabas see and function in the grace of God on their missionary adventures through Cyprus, Antioch, Pisidia, and Lystra?
Mirror (Where am I in the story?): When in your life have you felt like you were living intently into the grace of God? When have you felt like you were living against or outside the grace of God? How has worship and mission helped you see grace in your life and live in it?
Window  (How does the story change how I see those around me?): : Where do you see the grace of God in your home? Where do you see the grace of God in your workplace? Where do you see the grace God in your neighborhood or in your community? How can you live as missionaries in these places seeing grace in spiritual battle, history, opportunity, and even suffering?

BE IT – Practice
Change UP // Watch “Live at 1123” Together
Take a few moments to watch at least part of the “Diversity in Worship” conversation and song from 10,000 Fathers that Jon talked about in his sermon this week. You can find the link at www.gfc.tv/snellville . Watch for the grace of God in this conversation. Notice how worship creates mission.
Change IN // People of Grace
Take a few moments to have each person think of one person that he or she has encountered in their lives that best defines for them what it looks like to live seeing and receiving grace. Share these stories with each other in order to help you more easily see what it looks like to live life in grace in your normal lives.
Change OUT //Pick a Place to Look for Grace
Write the following places on several pieces of paper: Your Neighborhood, Your Home, Your Workplace, Your Play, Our Church (you will need as many pieces of paper as you have people in your group—so you will have several pieces of paper with one of these five places on it). Place the pieces of paper in a cup. Shake up the cup. Then have each member of the group pick a place for them to look for grace this week. Tell them to come back next week ready to share where each one of them saw grace this week.

CLOSING PRAYER 5 minutes
Take a few minutes to gather any prayer requests and pray for each other to SEE IT and BE IT this week.